[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 370 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 370

  Expressing the sense of the Congress that Saudi Arabia should fully 
live up to its World Trade Organization commitments and end all aspects 
                       of any boycott on Israel.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 29, 2006

     Mr. Shaw (for himself and Mr. Cardin) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and 
Means, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Congress that Saudi Arabia should fully 
live up to its World Trade Organization commitments and end all aspects 
                       of any boycott on Israel.

Whereas the United States supported the accession of Saudi Arabia to the World 
        Trade Organization (WTO) in 2005;
Whereas, as part of the working party report for the accession of Saudia Arabia 
        to the WTO, Saudi Arabia reiterated its commitment to terminate the 
        secondary and tertiary boycotts on Israel;
Whereas Saudi Arabia also committed not to discriminate against any WTO members 
        and specifically did not invoke the non-application provisions of the 
        WTO Agreement, and thus has rights and obligations to all WTO members, 
        including Israel;
Whereas, in spite of these commitments to WTO members and United States 
        officials, press reports indicate that an official of the Government of 
        Saudi Arabia has stated that Saudi Arabia has not committed to ending 
        the primary boycott on Israel, which would violate Saudi Arabia's WTO 
        obligations toward Israel;
Whereas United States Trade Represenative Portman has testified to the Committee 
        on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives that Saudi Arabia's 
        application of the boycott is a ``big concern'' of the United States; 
        that Saudi Arabia did not invoke non-application of WTO commitments to 
        Israel, so that Saudi Arabia is required to provide nondiscriminatory 
        treatment to Israel; and that the United States Trade Representative has 
        received assurances from Saudi Arabia that it will abide by its WTO 
        commitments; and
Whereas the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) scheduled its ``Ninth 
        Meeting of the Liaison Officers of Islamic Regional Officers for the 
        Boycott of Israel'' for the week of March 13, 2006, at the OIC's 
        headquarters in Saudi Arabia: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) Saudi Arabia should maintain and fully live up to its 
        commitments under the World Trade Organization (WTO) and end 
        all aspects of any boycott on Israel; and
            (2) the President, the United States Trade Representative, 
        and the Secretary of State--
                    (A) should continue their active involvement on 
                this issue by strongly urging the Government of Saudi 
                Arabia to comply with its WTO obligations; and
                    (B) should urge Saudi Arabia to end any boycott on 
                Israel.
                                 <all>